Critical Social Work
School of Social Work
University of Windsor
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, Ont.
Canada N9B 3P4
(519) 253-3000
ext. 3064
School of Social Work
University of Windsor
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, Ont.
Canada N9B 3P4
(519) 253-3000
ext. 3064
© Copyright 2008
University of Windsor
Critical Social Work, 2005 Vol. 6, No. 2
Welcome to
Critical Social Work
Critical Social Work
Critical Social Work
2005 Volume 6, No. 2
Introduction to the Special Issue on Spirituality
by
John R. Graham, PhD, RSW (Guest Editor)
Murray Fraser Professor
Faculty of Social Work
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
John Coates, PhD (Guest Editor)
Professor
Department of Social Work
St. Thomas University
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
by
John R. Graham, PhD, RSW (Guest Editor)
Murray Fraser Professor
Faculty of Social Work
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
John Coates, PhD (Guest Editor)
Professor
Department of Social Work
St. Thomas University
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
The topic of spirituality is emerging as a significant area of study in a number of disciplines. However, scholarship and practice in the area of spirituality has been both undervalued and limited. This special issue of Critical Social Work contributes substantially to the scholarship in this emerging area of practice and research. Attention to spirituality in social work is being moved forward by some academics, but primarily by the demands of practitioners and students. The growing professional literature in this field is a testament to the value of a close dialogical relationship between the field and the academy.
Several of the articles in this volume of Critical Social Work are based on presentations made at the Third Annual Canadian Conference on Spirituality and Social Work (Winnipeg, 2004). Article based on earlier Canadian conferences have been published by Currents: New Scholarship in the Human Services (http://fsw.ucalgary.ca/currents ). We have been delighted with the number and quality of presentations at the annual conferences. This edition of Critical Social Work includes articles by practitioners as well as academics, and acknowledges the value of knowledge accumulated over many years of professional and reflective practice. We think that articles from practice can stimulate the development of theory and practice, and inform new areas for research.
The Canadian Network on Spirituality and Social Work (CNSSW) sponsors the annual Canadian Conference on Spirituality and Social Work. Financial support from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council contributed substantially to the success of the conferences. Information on upcoming conferences can be found at http://people.stu.ca/~jcoates/cnssw/ . The CNSSW is an informal network of educators, students and practitioners and provides a venue for ongoing dialogue and research regarding spirituality in professional practice and education.
A great deal of ‘behind the scenes’ work precedes the publication of this edition. We are grateful for the assistance and support of the conference organizing committees, presenters, authors and reviewers, and the Maritime School of Social Work at Dalhousie University in Halifax, and the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, who hosted recent conferences. We wish also to acknowledge the editorial board of Critical Social Work for the encouragement and support provided by special editions.
John Graham, PhD can be contacted via e-mail at:
jrgraham@ucalgary.ca
John Coates, PhD can be contacted via e-mail at:
Jcoates@stthomasu.ca
jrgraham@ucalgary.ca
John Coates, PhD can be contacted via e-mail at:
Jcoates@stthomasu.ca